Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont will be a guest of the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce at 5 p.m. Monday, March 1, as part of the Chamber's ongoing series of meetings with top candidates for statewide office in 2010.

It comes a few days after Torrington's Democratic City Committee voted to endorse Dan Malloy, one of Lamont's main rivals for the Democratic nomination to succeed retiring Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

The meeting will take place at the Chamber's offices at 333 Kennedy Drive in Torrington.

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital President Daniel McIntyre, U.S. Congressman Chris Murphy, state Sen. Andrew Roraback and state Rep. Roberta Willis are all expected to participate in a forum on "The Future of Health Care" from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, 333 Kennedy Drive, Torrington.
They will participate in a panel that will also include Ann Bowen, president of the Bowen Agency in Winsted and chairman of the Chamber's Insurance Committee, and Juan A. Figueroa, president of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut.
The panel will be moderated by Marc Vallario, vice president of sales at United Healthcare, and hosts of the session are Michael and Theresa Carr, co-chairmen of the Chamber Health Council and owners of Inspired Touch LLC.
RSVP for the event at www.nwctchamberofcommerce.org/event_register.asp.

After his brief and remarkable-but-ultimately-unsuccessful write-in bid for the District 63 state representative seat abruptly vacated by state Rep. George Wilber two weeks before the election, attorney William Riiska quickly and quietly has settled back into his volunteer leadership role in working on legislative issues for the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.
And one of the Chamber's first tasks this fall is going to be bringing a large freshman class of first-time Northwest Connecticut legislators up to speed on the issues important to the local business community.
Taking Wilber's seat is Republican newcomer John Rigby.
Upsetting incumbent state Rep. Anne Ruwet (R-65th District) was Democratic newcomer Michelle Cook.
Upsetting longtime incumbent state Rep. Richard Ferrari (R-62nd District) was Democratic newcomer Annie Hornish.
And the Chamber and others locally who have important issues before the Legislature also are trying to get to know Republican Kevin Witkos, who has served several terms in the House, representing Canton, but will now represent a portion of the Torrington area after winning the 8th District seat in the state Senate.